Sebastian's Snowgoon
by miss elaineous
Summary: Sebastian makes a "scary" snowgoon as part of a contest with Sam. Demetrius doesn't like it.


_Just a little story from when Seb is eleven or twelve. I don't own the characters or the setting._

/

Crystalline snowflakes fell from the sky. The cold snaked its way into Sebastian's bones through his icy toes and frozen fingers, but he couldn't go inside until this was done. Eight-year-old Maru chattered beside him, but he ignored her, his focus solely directed to his current project: making the scariest snowgoon that ever did exist in the valley. He and Sam had a bet going on who could make the more terrifying creation. Penny would be the judge.

"That looks really cool, Seb," Maru said, skipping through the snow to admire his snowgoon. It grated on him that she used his friends' nickname for him.

He tugged his hat lower over his freezing ears and (horrible, awful) red hair. "It's not supposed to be _cool_ , it's supposed to be _scary_."

Maru nodded. "Yeah, scary, that's what I meant. Formidable, even." Leave it to Maru to use big words at the age of eight. She was always reading, a habit his mom and Demetrius tried to force him into, as well. "Look at Maru," they would say. "She's so clever." Why were comic books and video games any less worthwhile pursuits than reading whatever fancy books Maru was already plowing through?

Sebastian made a noncommittal noise and glanced over at Maru's snowgirl. It had a yellow and pink striped scarf, pebbles for eyes, and a carrot nose. Adorable. Not that he would say so. "Why is your snowgirl bald?"

Maru frowned. "Hmm. I hadn't thought of giving her hair. Thanks for the tip! You're so smart!" She smiled a gap-toothed smile again.

He wanted to say that it hadn't been meant as a tip but instead as an insult, but he bit his tongue. He could only push things so far before Maru would tattle on him to her dad and he'd get a talking-to from Demetrius

The snowgoon captured his attention again. Was the mouth's gaping scream wide enough? Should he add angry-looking eyebrows? Sebastian continued to adjust his snowgoon for another few minutes while Maru added hair to her snowgirl. When he had finally reached perfection in scariness levels, he hustled inside to message Sam and Penny and tell them he was ready for his snowgoon to be judged. They messaged back right away saying they'd be over within the hour.

When he came back upstairs, Maru was talking to Demetrius in the hallway. "-really great. Probably my best snowgirl yet." She glanced at Sebastian as he made his way past them. "Seb made a snowman, too. His is really scary, though." Maru raised her eyebrows at Sebastian, as if asking whether she'd gotten it right or not. He didn't react.

Demetrius cocked his head at Maru's words, giving Sebastian a Look. Sebastian just shrugged and continued on his way outside to wait for Sam and Penny. "Let me get my coat on and then I'll come see your creation, sweetie," Demetrius said to Maru.

Sebastian pulled his scarf tighter around his face against the wind as he stepped outside. He hovered protectively next to his snowgoon and scuffed a shoe in the snow next to it. Something about the look Demetrius had give him put a seed of dread into Sebastian's gut. He patted the snow around the snowgoon's midsection, making sure it was all packed firmly, not about to drop away like Sebastian's own stomach.

Demetrius and Maru stepped outside. First, they went to Maru's snowgirl and Demetrius cooed over her and complimented Maru's artistry. Sebastian snuck glances at them as he pretended to adjust things on his snowgoon.

"Come see Sebastian's now," Maru said. She pulled on her father's hand and dragged him over to where Sebastian and his snowgoon stood on the other side of the yard.

Demetrius frowned at Sebastian's snowgoon. "You said it was scary, didn't you, honey?"

Maru nodded, still smiling. "Super scary. Right, Seb?" She lisped a bit around the missing teeth.

Demetrius looked between Sebastian and Maru, then shook his head, the frown still on his face. "Son, I'm afraid you can't keep this thing up in the yard. It's unsightly. And it frightens your sister."

Sebastian rankled at the use of the words "son" and "sister". He glared at Maru for telling her dad the snowgoon was scary. "She's not really afraid of it," he said. "And it's not supposed to be cute or whatever."

Demetrius raised an eyebrow. "Your sister says she's scared of it. Now take it down."

If his mom had been here, maybe she would have stood up for him, but maybe not. She'd heard her talking with Demetrius once about putting up a "unified front" so she backed him up more often than Sebastian would like. But she was away on a carpentry conference, so Sebastian only had himself. "No, I'm leaving it up. There's nothing wrong with it, and I worked hard on it."

Maru looked back and forth between her dad and Sebastian, mouth open but no words coming out.

"This is our family's home, and I won't have something in our yard that frightens your sister and looks so horrible."

Sebastian felt a lump in his throat and something hot burning behind his eyes. No. He was not getting rid of this snowgoon. "I never asked to be a part of your family. And it's my house, too. How come I don't get to decide what goes in my yard?"

Demetrius's jaw locked and something ugly sprang up in his eyes at Sebastian's words. "You are a part of this family. And if you won't get rid of that thing, I will."

Maru tugged at her dad's coat sleeve. "Daddy, it's okay, I'm not really afraid of the snowgoon. Seb can leave it up."

He shook his head. "You don't have to pretend, honey." His tone was now gentle, no trace of the steel he'd had in his voice when talking to Sebastian. "It's okay. We'll get rid of the snowman."

Sebastian stomped his foot, outraged. "She said she's not afraid of it! And it's called a snowgoon, not a snowman!"

Demetrius stepped towards Sebastian and the snowgoon anyway. "This will be easier if you just cooperate, son."

"I'm not your son!" Sebastian held back the tears that were threatening to overflow. He took a deep breath and steadied himself. "You're not my dad. And this isn't fair. How come Maru doesn't have to get rid of her snowgirl?"

"Maru's snowgirl isn't bothering anyone." Demetrius walked up to Sebastian's snowgoon, but his hands were still at his sides.

"Neither is mine! She said it didn't bother her!"

Demetrius shrugged. "I've made up my mind." He lifted his hands and pushed the head off Sebastian's snowgoon.

"Daddy, no!" Maru cried, but it was too late.

Sebastian turned away, both to avoid watching the destruction of his hard work and to hide the hot, angry tears that spilled down his cheeks. He started walking away, towards the old abandoned Community Center and town. Unfair, unfair. It was so unfair. Within a few steps, his tears dried up and his anger turned cold. This wasn't fair. None of it was. Maru got everything: the perfect family, a father who loved her and doted on her. She got to keep her stupid snowgirl up. Sebastian was sick of it.

"Don't walk away from me, young man," Demetrius said, but Sebastian kept going. Demetrius didn't come after him.

Halfway to town, Sebastian ran into Sam and Penny, who were on their way to his house.

Surprise crossed Sam's face. "Seb? What are you doing down here?"

Sebastian worked his jaw. "Just came to meet you guys and tell you not to come up anymore. No more snowgoon."

"What happened?" Penny asked, concern written on her features.

Sebastian looked at the ground, lump returning to his throat. "Demetrius decided it was 'unsightly' and knocked it over."

"That asshole!" Sam said. "Let's get him back."

"Sam, you can't say stuff like that about adults," Penny whispered before turning to Sebastian. "I'm really sorry. That must be hard."

Sebastian nodded. He wouldn't accept sympathy from very many people, but Penny knew some of what it was like to have parents who you didn't get along with. If Demetrius could even be considered a parent.

"No, but for real, let's get him back," Sam said. "I've been dying to prank someone!"

Sebastian felt a smile creeping over his face. Sam could always cheer him up. "Yeah, okay. What did you have in mind?"

"Guys, no," Penny said. "We'll get in trouble!"

Sam shrugged. "So be it."

Sebastian grinned in earnest. "Yeah. So be it." If Demetrius could treat him unfairly, there was no reason to be nice back. The three of them huddled together, Sam and Sebastian planning an elaborate prank, Penny worrying and trying to talk them out of anything too damaging or dangerous, for the better part of the afternoon.

Soon, the demolished snowgoon was far from Sebastian's mind. But the anger was still frozen in his veins, cold as the snow falling around them.

/

Thanks so much for reading! Let me know what you thought. I'd be ecstatic to know anything you liked or hated.


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